Hard heart beat

[alvaa]

I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression a couple of years ago. Of course any time I have a panic attack I will have arrhythmia's and my heart would get up to about 100-120. I have had anxiety all week due to job stress. Tonight on my way home, I was have an  arrhythmia every minute or so, well, I had one and then something that hurt around the same area. I do have acid reflux. What could it be?

[alvaa]

I am beginning to believe my case is a case of agoraphobia. If I am at home doing anything, I am fine. I just went to the store and I had a minor panic attack and some more arrhythmia's

[treehugger79]

It is so weird (and I am going to be able to tell in the next 4 days), but every day this week, right after lunch my heart rate would climb to about 100 or more, I would start having arrhythmia's and they would increase throughout the day. I would drive home from work and they would be a whole lot worse, which would increase my anxiety. I would get home and relax for a couple of hours and then everything goes away.

[MichelleP_3811]

Spicy food can do it for me too.  

[alvaa]

I had just eaten spicy Mexican food.

[MichelleP_3811]

I really don't know what you are feeling but I would think acid reflux could cause irritation of the vagus nerve that is felt by the heart.  It really doesn't sound like your heart rate is all the high for the most part.  What were you doing when it reached 125?  That is kind of high for just sitting around but if you had recently moved about then it isn't really high at all.  I think whatever you can do to try and release some of the stress you are holding onto may help alleviate some of your symptoms.  It is amazing how worked up we can get emotionally and sometimes not even know it.  It took me a long time to recognize that I can be a bit high strung, especially about work.  So I am working now at trying to let go of the things that I cannot control and learn to go with the flow more.  Also, are you doing anything for your acid reflux?  If not then I might consider trying to get it under control.  It could be a factor in your heart palpitations and hard heart beats.  Well, I do hope you can get to the bottom of this and feel better.  Take care.

[alvaa]

Also, could it be something else? I felt like I was having arrhythmia's just now and I checked my pulse for like 3 minutes and had none. Could it be my acid reflux part of the time?

[alvaa]

It happens toward the end of the day, after lunch. My job is the most stressful thing I have ever had, especially now with our software conversion going live. My boss stresses me too. Yesterday was much better, with the exception that I anticipated having skips like I did on my drive home the other day (part of my anxiety), so my anxiety increased on the way home yesterday and I started having a few arrhythmia's but no pain. Also, I am not having dizzy spells or any other kind of pains. I checked my pulse right when I got home and it was 105. After being home for about 2 hours it was back down to around 85.

Also, when I over-eat any thing that is not healthy, my heart rate goes up for about an hour. Yesterday, as high as 125. Today I ate Chinese food and I didn't over-eat. My pulse is 94.

[MichelleP_3811]

I am unclear if you are having a fast beat or some skipped or hard beats?  Skipped beats are nothing to worry too much over.  I will hurt sometimes when I get a few of them in a row or sometimes they simply hurt but the pain is usually gone by the next day.  As for a rate of 120 that isn't really that high and could be caused by your anxiety but like Tom said, you should get yourself checked out by a doctor.  We are patients like yourself so we can't really diagnose what is going on.  It is best you go see a professional.  Keep us posted on how you are doing.

[Jerry_NJ]

You didn't mention what you are doing about the anxiety/depression...or if you have discussed new symptoms with your doctor(s).  

We are almost a full day past the time of your post.  Do you have any update, improvement?  What is your normal resting heart rate.  The 100-120 is too high for a long term resting rate, but I think a brief run is unlikely to do any damage, but do you also have dizziness, or shortness of breath?  

The chest pain in the absence of other symptoms is something I'd be inclined to wait our for a day... and we now have seen a day pass.

If it have been a year or more since you last general check-up with you primary care doctor, it would be a good time to do that and discuss with the doctor any changes in you health.

If you condition continues, or has gotten worse it would be a good idea I think to see a doctor as soon as possible.  I'm not saying the emergency room, I don't know enough to even guess how urgent you condition is.  If you are back to normal, I'd say it isn't urgent.